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How to Renew or Obtain A Passport During a Pandemic!

A year ago, the U.S. State Department was slowly reopening and handling a backlog of 1.5 million Passport applications.

But how about now? What is the current status of passport processing?

What to Expect?

According to the Department of State, there are still significant delays with Passport processing. Part of the delay is processing; the other part is the U.S. mail system. The State Department now estimates that it will take you up to eighteen weeks to receive your Passport after you mail it.

Can I Expedite the Process?

Before COVID, you could pay $60 to receive your Passport in just a few weeks. Now, you can still pay the $60, but instead of a few weeks, you can expect the process to take about 12 weeks. If you applied and realize now you need to expedite your service, you may call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 and receive instructions on how to proceed. The State Department is also scheduling several passport processing fairs in various states. If you can find and attend one in your area, this should speed up your process.

How do I Know Where I am in the Application process?

You can check your status from the state department’s website. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/status.html

How About Renewals?

The State Department recommends applying for your renewal by mail. Most travelers will not need to appear in person to renew their Passport. As long as you meet these requirements, you can renew by mail.

• You have your physical Passport

• Your Passport is undamaged

• You are over 16 years old

• Your name hasn’t changed

• Your Passport was issued in the last fifteen years

What About Emergencies?

If there’s an emergency, You can set up an appointment with a Passport agency. This service is only available to assist customers who need a passport in the next 72 hours for a life-or-death emergency—such as a severe illness, injury, or death in your immediate family, including a parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent. Be prepared to present proof of your emergency such as;

• Obituary

• Death Certificate

• Letter from a hospital

If you have another type of urgent travel need that is not life or death, you may request an appointment. The appointments are extremely limited. You will need to contact the call center to request an appointment, and your travel date must be within 72 hours of your appointment.

So What do I do?

No one can make the process of obtaining a passport quicker, but here are some tips to make sure you get your Passport in time for your next trip.

• Apply early. Apply at least six months before your trip to be safe.

• Check the website to see if there are any acceptance fairs in your area

• Select a trackable mail option so you can see when your Passport arrives for processing.

• Pay for expedited service if your trip is coming up soon

• Pay an extra $18.00 for 1-2 day return of your Passport after processing is complete.

Like most things lately, obtaining or renewing a passport has changed and become very challenging. But also, like most things, with some patience and planning, we’ll get through this too!

Happy Travels,

Cynthia Sayles, Sayles Travel

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